Swap name: Help Me Craft My Other Swaps swapCraftster member who is organizing this swap: KartianaSign-up date range: 11JUL2008 - 18JUL2008Date to send item by: Three send out dates: 08AUG2008, 22AUG2008, and 05SEP2008

Limited to a certain number of people? (optional): no, will need a co-organizer if more than 25 people sign up.

Restricted to people who all live in the same country? NO

Age requirement? none

Swap Organizer himself/herself meets these conditions:- Has fully read the Swap Info Guide: YES- Has successfully completed two swaps as a participant: YES- Is not organizing more than three swaps right now: YES- Will recruit a co-organizer or give all details to a Swap Moderator if this swap has more than 25 participants: YES

Swap Organizer will check each participant to make sure they meet these conditions:- Has been a member for at least one month: YES- Has posted at least 15 times: YES- Has completed one swap successfully before signing up for multiple swaps at a time: YES- Is not currently signed up for more than five swaps: YES- Does not have any negative feedback: YES- Participant has agreed that he/she is at least 13 years old: YES

Details of swap:

This is a swap for those of us out there that are addicted to swapping; we sign up for multiple swaps at a time, some are quick and easy others are full of challenges.

In this swap I will be partnering everyone up in groups of three and each group will help each other craft their other swaps. You will use each other for sounding boards, advise, and motivation. Communication is KEY in this swap, please do not sign up unless you will be able to be on-line a few times a week to talk with your partners. The catch to this swap is that you will be sending three small gifts of encouragement to both your partners via snail mail. These can be handmade cards, treats, or small crafted goodies.

We will have a gallery so plan on taking pictures and posting what you receive

If this will be your first swap(or you do not plan on being in any other swaps) then please plan on doing one or more of the following (as this swap is designed to help you craft):~ Tackle a big project~ Try a new craft~ Make a gift for someone

Remember you will be making/buying three smalls and sending them one at a timeSend out dates:Friday 08AUG2008 (three weeks after signups end)Friday 22AUG2008 (two weeks after first send out)Friday 05SEP2008 (two weeks after second send out)

PM me (Kartiana) and your partners when you send and receive. And if your item is big enough for a DC # PM that info as well. If you have no proof of sending and your item does not reach your partner you will be asked to re-send.

If you want to participate, information to send to organizer:

QUESTIONNAIRE TO ANSWER:Name of swapCraftster usernameEmail addressYour real nameMailing address including the countryWould you be willing to ship to an address outside your own country?Confirm that are at least 13 years old (yes/no)

Do you have any allergies?Do you have any allergens in your home?List a few of your favorite things (snacks, colors, animals...):Do you have a wist or stalking site:What crafts are you a pro with (able to give advice on)?What crafts will you be needing advice with?List the swaps you are currently signed up for:Any advice you could use from your partners right away:

IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE, REMEMBER TO SEND YOUR INFO TO ORGANIZER VIA PRIVATE MESSAGE AND NOT TO REPLY WITH IT HERE.

Also remember to read the Swap Info Guide to find out how to ship your item and other details about participating in a swap.

AFTER PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP AND BEEN APPROVED, LIST THE PARTICIPANTS HERE AND WHO IS SENDING TO WHOM:

This is too funny. But really it seems you are just adding more stress to your workload, er craftload. The whole reason you sign up for a swap is because you want to make stuff pertaining to that swap. Right? I'll have to keep checking on this one though.

the reason is that sometimes we crafters out there get stumped on what to make for our swap partners and I think it could help to have someone to talk to and bounce ideas off of, they might think of something else or have an idea to improve what you are already thinking of.

I'm hoping that everyone will craft at least one of the small items they are swapping, but I want to keep this swap low stress so I am allowing store-bought items.

So everyone that joins this swap will be giving and getting advice, and also giving and getting little encouraging gifts.

The title for this thread makes the swap sound more like a swap that is like "here's xxx's information, this is what they want, craft it for me, partner" instead of "here's xxx's information, what can I do with this, partner?". If the former were true, then I can see why you're not getting many people to sign up - for me, at least, part of the fun is trying to stretch your creative mind to try and come up with items for people who are only a little bit or nothing like you.In my runs as organizer, I've also seen that when people need help with ideas for their partners, they tend to PM the organizer and ask for help, which makes sense because the organizer's already seen the questionnaire and such.I hope you don't think I'm bashing your idea, because I really like the idea behind this swap; it's kind of like the Make-A-Friend swap but with very small items, which is great for those of us who can't commit to such a large-scale swap but still want a little love in our mailbox every few weeks. Maybe a different title or concept would be helpful? I don't know, but I'm throwing it out there.

Maybe calling it a crafty encouragement swap would help make it more appealing?

I've actually had someone help me craft for swap parters via personal swaps. I had a partner who really wanted a swap journal, and I stink at papercrafting. So I pm'ed someone I knew who makes swap journals, and offered a personal swap. I sent her something, she sent my partner a swap journal, and I explained the situation to my partner (including giving appropriate credit, which was not entirely necessary since the journal maker sent it herself, but I felt it was the best way to go about it). However, I don't think that people get themselves into a situation like that often enough to get a lot of response at any given time. It is a neat idea, though.